Burgers of All Types & Old-Fashioned Shakes

Photo by Shad Bookout

I couldn't wait to try out the Burger 21 that just opened near UCF in Orlando, Fla. I had been seeing tantalizing pictures of its delicious burgers and shakes on Facebook for two weeks before I had to chance to go in. Plus, there is another Burger 21 by the Mall of Millenia, but I haven't tried it yet.

When I walked in the new restaurant on a busy Friday night, I noticed the fun, modern decor. The decor is such a contrast to the type of desserts offered: old-school milkshakes, sundaes and floats. In fact, that is one of my favorite parts of the restaurant: the bar area where you can watch your milkshake or sundae being made. This ice cream bar has modern twist, though: you can also order beer and wine.

I was also blown away by the 21 different burger choices on the menu. We are not just talking beef. There are seafood, veggie, chicken, and turkey burgers. How refreshing! I almost never see these options on burger restaurants' menus. Plus, there is a gluten-free menu: you can order several hamburgers with gluten-free buns, which is also unheard of.

Photo by Shad Bookout

We ordered The Bacon Cheesy and The Mediterranean, a grilled chicken burger with Panko bread crumbs, feta spread, carmelized onions and roasted red peppers. I was pleasantly surprised that the chicken burger was so moist and flavorful. And all the toppings worked together so well. The Bacon Cheesy is a beef burger with applewood-smoked bacon, red onions, and cheese.  This is a better burger than Five Guys, but is certainly not the best we have had. For the price ($7.49), I think it's great!

We also ordered the Black & Bleu burger form the gluten-free menu. I was surprised that a gluten-free bun could have such great texture and flavor. The French Fries and the Sweet Potato Fries were okay. They came out cold and they were normal shoe-string fries. 

Dessert is pretty much the star of the show. We tried the shake flavor of the month: Apple Crumble. While it is a little too sweet, it tastes exactly like apple cobbler or apple pie. What a treat! The prices are so reasonable here: $5-$7 for 4.5-ounce burgers and $6-$8 on average for 6-ounce burgers. 

To celebrate the opening of the UCF Burger 21, Flavorful Excursions is giving one of our lucky readers a $25 gift card. Simply tell us your favorite burger topping in the comments section below or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ flavorfulexcursions) and you will be entered to win! Deadline: March 28 at midnight.

Where: 11551 University Blvd., Orlando